Presidential Ambassadors

The Presidential Ambassadors program is a scholarship opportunity for students who display leadership skills and pride in being Lander students. These traits are gauged through an interview process and displayed by the student through high academic achievement. As the face of Lander University, the Presidential Ambassadors are often the first people one meets when visiting the school. The Presidential Ambassadors give tours to prospective students, welcome visitors who are attending performances, and work in the Office of Admissions. They are an exceptional group of students, and you can meet all of them on this page.

Hi, guys! My name is Taylor Baxley and I am a sophomore Music Education, Vocal emphasis major and Theatre and Speech minor here at Lander! I am a Presidential Ambassador, as well as a South Carolina Teaching Fellow, and a member of the Old Main Singers and University Singers ensembles on campus. I’m involved in many clubs, such as the Lander Players and Dressed to Trill, and I have a work study position on campus- needless to say, I’m a gal that likes to be involved! I knew in my heart that I was meant to be a Bearcat the moment I stepped onto campus for the first time. My classes push me to work hard and stay focused, and my professors wish for my success just as much as I do! With every challenging assignment, I have an amazing friend or professor here that has encouraged me to the end, and I couldn’t imagine receiving that kind of support anywhere else! The memories I have made here will stick with me for the rest of my life, and I have Lander to thank for that. I love being able to call Bearcat country home!

Hi everyone! My name is Bethany Bonds, and I am a sophomore here at Lander University. On campus, I am very involved as a Presidential Ambassador, Lander Teaching Fellow, and sister of Zeta Tau Alpha. The small class sizes, wonderful professors, and personal feel pushed Lander to the top of my college list during my senior year of high school, and I am so happy that I chose Lander as my home two years ago! Through this wonderful university, I have met the greatest people, been given so many wonderful opportunities, and have acquired a love for school unlike ever before.

Hi everyone! My name is Jazelle Brown and I am a senior Early Childhood Education major, from Abbeville, SC. I can honestly say that I am blessed to be a Bearcat! The small class sizes, personal relationships with your professors, and the various prestigious academic departments will amaze you. I know that Lander’s education department has prepared me to shine in the near future. The campus is beautiful and the atmosphere is too. I can’t wait to show you around the university that I call home.

Hey everybody, my name is Ashlee and I’m from Red Bank, SC. I’m a sophomore in the outstanding nursing program here at Lander, which was the main reason why I chose this amazing school. I loved the campus the moment I toured it. I had no idea at that moment that Lander University would become my home away from home. I am living proof that socially awkward human beings can survive in college, and I can only hope to make you fall in love with this school as much as I have.

Hello everyone! My name is Dillon and I am proud to call myself a Bearcat. I am from Reidville, SC which is a small town just inside of Spartanburg. I am an Exercise Science major in pursuit of becoming a Physical Therapist. I chose Lander due to its
size and how I could actually get to know my professor and be me not another number in a class. Plus, I knew that Lander would point me in the right direction while I chase my dream.

Hello, my name is Jared and I am a sophomore Chemistry major in the Honors College here at Lander! I chose Lander because it instantly felt like home to me the first time I set foot on campus. The smaller class sizes and always-helpful faculty and staff has really improved my experience in the classroom, while good people and new friends around campus have made my college experience nearly perfect. Between the great courses offered and wonderful events happening around campus, there is never a dull moment. I'm proud every day that I get to bleed blue and gold, and be a bearcat.

Hey everyone, I am Ananda! I toured Lander at least three times, but after my first visit I knew that this was the school for me. This was the only school I applied to and I cried when I was accepted. The atmosphere is what I love most about Lander. Coming to Lander made me open up more and realize my purpose. I can’t wait to show you around the BEAUTIFUL BEARCAT COUNTRY!

Hi everyone! I am Mickayla Crumley and I am a junior, Mass Communications major at Lander. I chose Lander University because it was close to home, but not too close, and because of the family atmosphere, Lander offers. I have grown to absolutely love Lander and show it by being involved on campus. Along with being a Presidential Ambassador, I am a student worker in the Office of Orientation, serve at Baptist Collegiate Ministry, and I am a former Orientation Leader. Coming to Lander has been one of the best choices I have made! Go Bearcats!

Hey y’all! I am Rhealyn Dinkins and I am from Charleston, South Carolina. I transferred from Roanoke College and can proudly say that I have planted my roots here at Lander University. Growing up in a big household, I wanted to be able to continue that family feeling here. Being able to come in and feel like I have been a part of Lander for forever is one of the main reasons I love this school. I have created bonds not only with my classmates but also my professors that I know will last a lifetime. I hope you will love this place just as much as I do!

I am Savannah Dover, a junior at Lander majoring in Elementary Education. At Lander, I am a Presidential Ambassador, a South Carolina Teaching Fellow, and have a passion for teaching kids to love learning! I chose Lander because the second I stepped on campus for a tour, it felt like home; not to mention the small class sizes, family atmosphere, and all the professors seemed to really care about their students. Greenwood is truly my home away from home and I could not imagine myself anywhere else!

Hey there! My name is Keith and I’m a junior here at Lander University. I’m a SC Teaching Fellow and one of kind. The kind you would put on a spice rack. I love Lander because it is a community that I enjoy to be around with and it is a way for me to grow into a wonderful unique young adult. Lander has helped shaped me into the person that I am today and I am very thankful for that. I started out as an awkward person to leaving as a better awkward person with wonderful leadership qualities that will make me succeed in my career field. If it wasn’t for the amazing professors, wonderful staff, amazing students, and Amy Poehler I would not be the person that I am today.

Hello Everyone! My name is Sarah Drake and I am a sophomore at Lander University majoring in Secondary Education History. Lander was the first college I toured and I immediately fell in love. At the end of the tour, I looked at my mom and said, "This is where I need to be." I love Lander so much that I became involved in as many things as I could. I'm a Presidential Ambassador and a sister in Zeta Tau Alpha. I can't wait to give you a tour to show you how much I love Lander and why I choose Lander every day.

Hey y’all! My name is Sofia Frick. I’m a Sophomore Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing and Management and a minor in International Business. I am very involved as a Presidential Ambassador, Orientation Leader, and sister of Gamma Phi Beta. After seven tours of Lander, I chose Lander University for the small class sizes and the friendly atmosphere. Though I’ve been here for more than a year, I have met great people, and been given wonderful opportunities. I love this school!

Hi! My name is Paige Fowler and I absolutely love being a Bearcat. In addition to being a Presidential Ambassador here at LU, I'm also President of the English Club, a tutor at the Writing Center, a member of two different honor societies here on campus, and a member of the Honors College Social Committee. I chose Lander because I've always been a really engaged, driven student, and I knew this university would encourage me to pursue a rigorous education without sacrificing the extracurricular activities I love.

Hey everyone! My name is Catherine and I am from Aiken, SC. I’m a junior in Lander’s outstanding nursing program. The first time I toured Lander I immediately knew this would be my future home! I couldn’t help but fall in love with our beautiful campus and the welcoming atmosphere. Now that I have been here for two years, I know I made the right decision! The faculty and staff at Lander continue to amaze me with all they do for the students. I can’t wait to see you around campus!

Hey everyone! My name is Carly and I'm from Clover, SC. After touring Lander for the first time, I absolutely fell in love...so in love that Lander was the only school I even applied to! My goal for being your Presidential Ambassador is to show you around
Lander’s beautiful campus and to get you love Lander as much as I did! Go Bearcats!

Hi, my name is Wesley and I am from Irmo, SC. I came to Lander University because it felt like home; from how small the campus was, to the professors knowing who was in there classes, and caring not just about classwork but who you are. I have grown to
love the school and show it by getting involved. I am part of include Student Government Association, SCSL, Resident Advisor, Bearcat Nation, and I was also an EXPO orientation leader. Coming here was one of the best choices I have ever made.

Hey y’all! My name is Haley Histon and I am from Greenville, SC. As soon as I stepped onto Lander’s campus, I knew this was the school for me. What really drew me in was the student life, the small class sizes, and the various opportunities on campus. There are so many ways to become involved! Deciding to come to Lander University was the best decision I have ever made, and I am very proud to call myself a Lander Bearcat!

I chose to attend Lander because of my dream of becoming a Neonatal Nurse. I felt Lander’s nursing program was the first step in the right direction of making my dream a reality. Being a student has only made the process that much greater because, I felt
like I belonged here. Here at Lander I was able to have a one on one connection with my professors and a chance to connect with many students. Coming from a small town, my transition to higher education was not only an easy one but, where I fit
right in.

Hey everyone! I’m Emma Jetty, and I’m a nursing major from Effort, Pennsylvania! When I was applying to colleges, I knew I wanted to branch out and go somewhere new. I Googled “top nursing schools in the south” and I found Lander University! It's amazing to think that I've found a place to call home 720 miles away from where I grew up. I've always told people it was the luckiest Google search I’ve ever made because I couldn’t have ended up at a better school for me!

Hey everyone, my name is Emily Kolb and I am from Spartanburg, SC. I am a sophomore nursing major, Presidential Ambassador, and a part of the Phi Mu sorority on campus. During my senior year of high school, I attended many tours to colleges across the state but I knew from the moment I stepped on Landers campus that I would call Lander home for the next four years. I chose Lander because of the amazing nursing program, the small community, and because I knew I wouldn’t just be a number in my classes, but I would actually get to know my professors and my fellow peers. I am now into my second year of college and I am still 100% confident that I made the right decision. Lander is my home away from home and I am proud to be a bearcat.

When I came to tour Lander for the first time, I wasn’t sure what I really wanted in a college experience. But as soon as I set foot on campus, I knew this would be the place I would call home for the following years. I am passionate about chemistry,
teaching, and of course Lander University! At Lander I am not just another student in a class full of people that want a degree; I am Meg Lacombe: the bearcat, the honors college student, and the scientist. I love being at Lander and I cannot
wait to show everyone what I see in this beautiful campus.

From the moment I stepped onto Lander’s campus, I knew this was going to be my home for the next four years. I love the small, close-knit feeling of the campus, students, and staff. Lander was the first and only place that I toured and applied to; I knew it was meant to be. Lander has an outstanding nursing program, and with intensions of becoming a nurse, I knew there wasn’t going to be a better school choice for me than Lander. I absolutely love being a student here at Lander and being involved in various organizations on campus, and I cannot wait to show you around my favorite place!

Hi! My name is Alex and I am a music education major with an emphasis in choral music. I came to Lander because when I toured, I fell in love with the campus and faculty members that I met. I am a member of the University Singers, Old Main Singers, NAFME,
and Baptist Collegiate Ministry. At Lander I have made lifelong friends and connections. I can truly say that Lander is my second home.

My name is Santos Pagán, Jr; I am a Junior Mass Communications major. I am from Lowell, Massachusetts. Now I live in North Augusta, South Carolina. I came to Lander because of the many great opportunities this place has to offer; being how small it is and the many connections I have, that will set me up for the future. Lander has transformed me and I am proud to wake up every day a Bearcat!

Greetings, world and all who inhabit it! My name is Joey Plyler and I'm from the small town of Ruby, SC. I came to Lander because of the amazing community here, both on and off campus. Along with being a Presidential Ambassador, I'm a Resident Assistant, a volunteer tutor at the Academic Success Center, and a member of the Lander Players, University Singers, and Student Alumni Association. I'm here at Lander to expand my horizons and work towards my goal of a career in filmography and media. I look forward to showing you around my second home!

Hey everyone, my name is Justiss Powell and I am senior Biology major with a Pre-Dental emphasis. After having a rough first year of college, I sought out to find the perfect university to transfer to. Lander University was that school. I was greeted with welcoming smiles, laughs, and great students, faculty, and staff. Along with being a part of the best Biology program the state has to offer, I am also involved in other student organizations such as being a Student Support Services Ambassador. Becoming a family member of Lander and the Greenwood community is the best opportunity I have taken thus far, as it is my home away from home. I am proud to represent the blue and gold of a Lander Bearcat!

Hey everyone! My name is Elizabeth and I am from Saluda, SC. I am a sophomore nursing major, Presidential Ambassador, and a member of the Sassy Cat dance team! From my first tour of Lander, I knew this was where I belonged. I chose Lander University because of the prestigious nursing program, small class sizes, and the wonderful community this campus encompasses. I couldn't have picked a better school and I love being a Bearcat! I hope to see you around in Bearcat country!

Hey y’all! My name is Lexi Ricard and I am a Junior II Nursing Major at Lander University! I decided to be a part of this school when I heard about their outstanding Nursing Program, but what has kept me thriving is the people and experiences I have had along the way. I hope that I can help you fall in love with this campus and community as much as I have over the years and I look forward to seeing you around! Go Bearcats!

Hello everyone! My name is Reiney Sanders. I am from Greenville, South Carolina. I am a sophomore at Lander University! I am majoring in biology and a minor in religion. My dream is to become an optometrist and to own my own practice one day. I believe that having a positive attitude is one of the best things to have. I chose Lander because I went through a lot of test and trials with choosing schools and Lander was on my path to greatness. The environment makes me feel right at home and the professors and students make the moving process a little easier. It’s a wonderful day to be a BEARCAT!

Hey! My name is Jessica Sherfield and I am a sophomore here at Lander. My twin sister (who is also a Presidential Ambassador) and I are from Laurens, South Carolina. I am majoring in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Spanish. As well as being
a Presidential Ambassador, I am also a Teaching Fellow. I decided to come to Lander because of the Education Department and because of the small class sizes. I knew I wanted to go to a school where the professors knew my name, so Lander was such
a perfect fit! When I took my first tour of Lander, I was instantly amazed at how friendly the people were and I knew I wanted to make this my home. I stayed at Lander because I made life-long friends and I could not imagine myself being at any
other school.

I'm Kaitlin, a 6ft. tall twin from Laurens, SC. After graduating from Laurens District 55 High School in 2014, I decided to call Lander my new home. Here at Lander, I am sophomore majoring in art with a graphic design emphasis, I am a Resident Assistant
at Bearcat Village, and I am also blessed to be a Presidential Ambassador along with my twin sister. Let me show you around campus and show you why Bearcat Country should be your new home, too.

Hey! I am pursuing careers in both English Secondary Education and English Professional Writing. I am the Head Resident Assistant at New Residence Hall. I am also a member of Sigma Tau Delta, the English Honors Society, and I am a member of Alpha Chi Honors Society. I love Lander University, because it has opened doors I have asked for, like getting into a college close to home and making it into the education program, and some doors I never thought possible, like becoming a resident assistant, presidential ambassador, and being in various honors societies. Being a Lander student has allocated me the opportunity to meet people and have experiences that I would not have received anywhere else. I am happy to invest in a school that presents countless opportunities and experiences to its students. Lander most definitely has the "home away from home" environment that every student should look for when making a college decision, and if that’s not enough, the faculty and staff care about each student’s success inside and outside of the classroom. Not only has being a college student been the best decision of my life, but deciding to be a Lander Bearcat and representing my title as a Lander student has made all the difference. Go Bearcats!

Hi my name is Taylor Spees and I'm a junior at Lander. My major is nursing and I am also in our Honors College. My home town is Charleston, South Carolina but I've loved getting to know the Upstate. I came to lander because it was the only college tour
where I felt right at home. It was so nice to be on a small campus after coming from one of the biggest high schools in the state. I love that my teachers know me on a first name basis and are able to help me. Lander is my home away from home.
Go Bearcats!

Hi everyone, my name is Rebecca Strickland. I am a Junior Accounting major from North, SC. While searching for the right college to attend I was always told to go to the school that makes you feel at home. Lander University was that college for me. The moment I stepped onto campus, I could see myself going to class and getting to know the students here. The professors genuinely care for their students and have a strong desire to see them succeed. Obviously, Lander is a perfect fit for me! I am proud to say I am a Bearcat for life!

Hey! I am Janie Sullivan, a junior, here at Lander. Lander has become more than just a school for me, it's a home and community I am excited to come to everyday. Since I've been here I've had the opportunity to be involved in many different organizations. Apart from being a Presidential Ambassador, I am a member of Gamma Phi Beta, I am on the College Panhellenic Council, and also a member of Phi Alpha Theta, the history honor society. I also work in the University Archives.

Hey everyone, my name is Brandon Teal and I am a Sophomore 1 Nursing major. I chose Lander University because of its prestigious School of Nursing and the atmosphere that the campus displays. Lander University provides a small community, in which the students and faculty are a family. Lander offers open opportunities for students to get involved and make a difference while they’re here. For example, I work as a Presidential Ambassador, a Resident Assistant and volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. I knew the first time that I toured Lander as a senior in high school, that it was where I wanted to call home. It has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in life.

Hello! My name is Katie Warnken, and I am from North Augusta, SC. I am a junior Math Secondary Education major at Lander University. I chose Lander because it has small class sizes with great opportunities for their students. It gave me the chance to be a part of the Honors College, the Teaching Fellows Program, the Presidential Ambassadors, and the Club Volleyball team. I was even able to study abroad in Ireland my sophomore year. Lander has opened doors and set me up for success. I am so proud to be a Bearcat!

Hey, my name is Frannie and I LOVE LANDER. The first time I visited Lander’s campus, I knew it was going to be my home for the next four years. Not only is Lander more affordable than most other four-year institutions, its small class sizes provide a great sense of community and welcoming atmosphere. The professors and students involved with the nursing program at Lander University truly care about its students, and they are always positively encouraging freshmen to apply. Choosing LU was the best decision of my life.

Hey, my name is Jacob and I am a music major. I chose Lander because of the Presidential Ambassador who gave me my tour. She made Lander feel like a home rather than a place to stress and study. Every place we went she waved to another student or a professor who knew her by name. After my tour, I knew that I wanted to be that person when I joined the Lander family. I love this school as much as I love the people in it, and I am lucky to call Lander my home.